Michigan State University
Guelph (Ex)
Hockey Blasts Guelph In Exhibition, 11-1
10/5/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
Oct. 5, 1999
EAST LANSING, Mich. - When the University of Guelph scored just 1:05 into Tuesday night's exhibition hockey game at Munn Ice Arena, it looked like Michigan State fans could be in for a long night.
They were -- only because the clock kept stopping for Spartan goals.
After the Gryphons' first tally, Michigan State scored 11 unanswered goals of their own. It would have marked MSU's biggest goal output since a 12-4 win over Ohio State in 1991, but as an exhibition game records and statistics will not count.
The 11-1 final also would have been the Spartans' largest margin of victory since beating Ferris State 13-1 in 1990.
Leading the way was the top line of senior center Shawn Horcoff, freshman left wing Brian Maloney and sophomore right wing Adam Hall. They combined for six goals and six assists in the rout.
Maloney had a hat trick and one assist in his first game as a Spartan. Horcoff contributed two goals and four assists.
"It was a great game for Michigan State," Horcoff, the captain, said. "I think there were a lot of nerves in the first couple of minutes, but as the game went along we felt better.
"We were a lot better skating team and I think we were able to use that to our advantage."
The Spartans answered Guelph's early goal just 3:18 after the Gryphon goal, as Andrew Bogle put home a rebound from Andrew Hutchinson and John-Michael Liles on the power play.
On the game, Michigan State's power play was six-for-nine.
Sophomore defenseman Jon Insana - who didn't score a goal all of last season - got the eventual game-winner at 5:10 of the first period. He intercepted a Guelph pass in the neutral zone and fired a slapshot through goaltender Matt Gowan's five hole.
From there, the rout was on, as Horcoff and Maloney chipped in power-play goals before the end of the first period. Both had goals in the second as well, and Maloney added his third in the third period.
Also scoring in the third were freshmen Kris Koski and Liles, as well as Hall and Bogle.
"There were some nice plays by a lot of different people, and I won't take that away from us," head coach Ron Mason said. "But we don't have delusions of grandeur. We can still coach from this because there were a lot of things we got away with which we won't be able to this Saturday."
Michigan State, ranked third in the preseason, now preps for a meeting with No. 8 Colorado College Saturday on the road in the U.S. College Hockey Faceoff Classic.
"We know it gets tougher," Horcoff said. "We came in the locker room and no one was really cheering. We've got to refocus and get ready for Colorado College."
